Rabbitte hits out at Cabinet appointments of first-time Labour TDs

The former Labour minister Pat Rabbitte is hitting out at the new Labour Leader and Tánaiste's decision to appoint first time TDs Alex White, Alan Kelly and Ged Nash to Cabinet.

In an interview with the Irish Independent, Mr Rabbitte said that he has "great difficulty" with people who were elected for the first time in 2011 making it into Government.

The former communications minister lost his seat in last month's Cabinet reshuffle, and confirms his disappointment in the interview, saying: "Of course I wanted to stay on...(but) you are either in or you're out.".

Group political correspondent with the Irish Independent Daniel McConnell said Pat Rabbitte was now likely to be a rebellious force within Labour:

"Relations between himself and Joan Burton are not good (and) never have been. In the interview he said they do not socialise together. They're not friends and are not exactly close," he said.

"Is he likely to stay quiet? I don’t think so. He's going to take up a seat on the finance committee which is likely to be central to discussion around budgets. He's certainly not going to fade away into the distance I wouldn’t say."